Dark Into Light
by Obsessive PruCan Fan
Summary: Matthew and Alfred have dark lives. Living with an abusive father and nowhere to hide was never going to be easy. They need light to escape the dark of their house. Along comes Gilbert and Arthur. Will these two be able to ever figure out what's going on with the brothers? After all, friends are always the brightest lights... (T for abuse)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I should be writing Fabricated right now, but I'm in the mood for some PruCan and USUK :3 And don't be discouraged by Alfred being slightly creepily protective over Mattie :3 I don't really ship Americest xD**

**In this, they're half brothers ^w^**

**Enjoy!**

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When Matthew Williams-Jones opened his lavender orbs that morning, the first thing he vaguely saw – as he was not wearing his glasses – was the sleeping face of his brother, Alfred. He sighed, trying to disentangle his arm from Alfred to grab his glasses before poking his brother in the stomach to make him wake up.

"Al... it's five, time to get up.." He whispered quietly as Alfred yawned, rubbing his eyes. Matthew thought that his brother would be used to waking up this early, but Alfred was definitely _not_ a morning person.

"Ugh, why do mornings hate me Mattie?" Alfred questioned as he stretched his arms, releasing Matthew from his hug. Matthew sat up and smiled at his lazy brother.

"I don't know Al. Come on, I have to make breakfast and.." He trailed off, hoping Alfred would get the message. Moments later, Al sat up, nodding in understanding.

"I need to check it first Mattie, you know that." He glanced at Matthew to see his face fall before the shorter closed his eyes and nodded in defeat.

"I know Al.." He said simply before they crept downstairs to the small bathroom.

Once they were inside, Alfred turned around, gently closing the door and locking it. He ordered Matthew to sit on the side of the bath, which he did obediently. Alfred leant over, reaching out to Matthew's face and lifting up his jaw with one hand.

"Shit Mattie.." He murmured. A large bruise had blossomed on his jaw bone. "Shirt." he ordered bluntly, wanting to get this over quickly for Matthew's sake. Matthew slipped his shirt off, letting Alfred unwrap the bandages around his torso, giving Alfred full view of his bruised ribs and sliced skin. The American winced, feeling guilty for the wounds. He sighed, opening the bathroom cabinet and pulling out some well-hid makeup and medicine. Alfred tilted Matthew's head up again, lightly dabbing on the correct skin-toned concealer.

"Th-thanks Al..." Matthew whispered. He was obviously in pain; his ribs were heavily bruised upon closer inspection.

"Sorry Mattie.. this is going to really hurt." He hastily pulled out a bottle of disinfectant and quickly cleaned the cuts on his torso. "And.. I can't do anything about the ribs.. just don't do Phys. Ed. for the next few weeks. I'll write you a fake note from dad.." He sighed, pulling Matthew's shirt on for him and leaning his forehead against his brother's.

"Al?"

"I'm really sorry I wasn't there Mattie.. I'm supposed to be your hero, but I wasn't there when you needed me the most.." Tears lined his eyes, which were wiped away by Matthew.

"It's fine Al.. I understand that you were with Arthur. I'm fine, really.." He gave a weak smile before standing up. "I'm going to make breakfast now.." He whispered, making his way out to the kitchen to make breakfast for Alfred and their father. Matthew wasn't going to eat.

_I'm ugly_ He told himself _If I don't eat, maybe I can not be ugly or fat_.It was what he told himself everyday, and it worked. Every evening when possible, he would check his weight on the battered-up scales in the bathroom, and it had gone down. He was now at ninety pounds, and still felt fat. He would eat lunch at school every now and then, and snack on cheap own brand diet foods. Once a week, he used to eat a pancake, but had once gone straight to the bathroom after being called fat and thrown it all up again. On purpose. Alfred didn't know.

_Alfred doesn't need to know_. Said the voice in his head. He wasn't even sure if it was his subconscious any more, maybe he was going insane?

If he wasn't, it was only a matter of time.

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Matthew had left one portion of breakfast for their father and dressed before he and Alfred left for school in the rain. Upon seeing the weather, he had hidden the makeup in the inside pocket of his blazer, knowing that the makeup would run and that he'd have to reapply it during lunch break. The brothers met up at the nearest bus stop – thank god for free travel – with two of their closest friends. As soon as Alfred saw Arthur, the School Council President of Hetalia Academy, his facade was brought up, showing a bright, happy and obnoxious side to the teen. Alfred ran over to Arthur, instantly forgetting that his brother couldn't run because of his ribs. Matthew sighed and looked up, putting on a small smile as he saw his only friend other than his brother, Gilbert. As he finally reached the albino, Gilbert grinned happily.

"Hallo Birdie!" Gilbert waved characteristically.

"H-Hi Gil.." He smiled shyly, a real smile. His ribs hurt and his jaw hurt, but he felt warm once he was out of the house, no matter what the weather was. Gilbert made Matthew feel wanted. Arthur made Alfred feel like a hero.

But no matter what, they could never tell either of them what happened to them at home.

If they slipped up, if they forgot the most minute detail, if they got home late or woke up at the wrong time, or smashed one of the many bottles of alcohol in the house, they were beaten. Alfred felt that he couldn't do anything right. Matthew thought that he was ugly and fat. They were broken. They were snapped in half again and again. Every day meant another opportunity to crack them, to break them both physically and mentally. They couldn't afford hospital fees with only their part-time jobs. They had to stay alive, for each other's sake.

The previous day had been a half day, and neither of them had told their father, so that they could spend time with their friends, like they were _normal_. Matthew had gone to work an extra shift after spending a little time with Gilbert, and Alfred had gone out somewhere with Arthur, promising his brother that he'd be back on time.

But Alfred had been enjoying his time with Arthur too much. They had a great day together, and by the time Alfred had looked at the time, it was half past six. He had spent a few minutes making up rough excuses to Arthur before rushing home.

_Alfred slammed open the door, glancing at the clock as he sneaked in. With any luck, Matthew would be cooking and their father would be drunk off of his a-_

"_And where were _you_, young man?" Their alcoholic father slurred, staring down at him with a knife in his hand, coated in stains._

_He gave an excuse, a very good one too, about being commended for high grades and sporting achievement, which his father, in his half-drunk, half-hungover state, accepted bleakly, letting him through. Alfred had almost cheered in joy when he got away with it, only to walk through to the living room, with liquor bottles strewn all over the floor and see Matthew, lying in a pool of his own blood, unconscious. His eyes widened as he rushed over to his half-brother, rolling him over to see shards of glass stuck in his arms, already blossoming bruises and cigarette burns covering his pale skin and a deep stab wound in his arm. He picked up Matthew and ran to their joint bedroom, laying him down on the dirty carpet as he grabbed wound-cleaning supplies and bandages from downstairs, as well as a bottle of precious painkillers. Their father had never gone this far before. He always split the punishments between them equally, so with only Matthew home.._

_Shit, he felt sick. Sick, selfish, you name it.. This was his fault. How long had Mattie been there for? The blood had already started to dry.. That was what the knife stain had been.. He quickly cleaned the worst cuts and bandaged his brother's wounds before laying him on the bed and falling asleep.._

Matthew needed him. And he needed Matthew. To guide each other away from the dark and into the light. The dark being their home. Arthur and Gilbert were always the brightest lights.

XXXAPHXXX

**I really should be working on Fabricated, which is my Spamano/PruCan/GerIta/AusHun/USUK fic, although Spamano is the main pairing xD GerIta and Spamano will probably have their appearances in here somewhere.**

**Feel free to drop a review! Suggestions, improvements, you name it!**


	2. Chapter 2 -tiny chapter-

**I still haven't updated Fabricated, but I'm in the mood for more PruCan and UsUk fml.**

**XXXAPHXXX**

The school day had gone well so far. Alfred and Matthew were in most classes with each other, and the ones that they weren't in together, they were usually with Arthur or Gilbert. Matthew made up an excuse to go to the bathroom during lunch, using a tiny pocket mirror to fix his makeup and poking at his stomach, determined that he was overweight still and regretting the fact that he would have to eat, or face Gilbert's scrutiny. He pulled his red sweatshirt back on with a sigh before meeting back with Arthur, Alfred and Gilbert up on the roof. As he got up to the roof, he heard yells and shouts. Matthew scrambled up the steps as fast as he could with his bruised ribs, only to see that Alfred had got in a fight with Ivan.. again. The Canadian made his way over to Gilbert, who was observing the fight from afar.

"Again..? What did Ivan say this time?" He leant against the wall with a sigh.

"The usual. Something about food. Scores. Soccer. Something like that anyway.."

"He does this too often.." Matthew murmured.

"Ja...Hey, you look weird, Birdie." Gilbert tilted his head to the side.

"E-Eeh... I look weird?"

"Ja, you were really stiff when you were walking over here, and you have huge bags under your eyes! And..." He pulled Matthew a little closer, making the Canadian flush intensely. Gilbert poked a spot on Matthew's head lightly. "You have a bruise right here! Was it the stupid Cuban guy again?" He half-growled, folding his arms and staring into violet orbs.

Ivan had retreated by now, not wanting to get the blame, and Alfred sported a small bruise on his cheek, being checked on by Arthur. The two were just walking over. Matthew watched them as he thought of an excuse.

"Eh.. I-I just fell over..! I tr-tripped on a Coke can outside the h-house!" He squeaked out, doing his best to reassure Gilbert. "A-Anyway! What do we have next?" The Canadian changed the subject quickly.

"Phys. Ed!" Alfred cut in, sitting down with Arthur.

"Awesome~ Wanna pair up for cricket Birdie~?"

"Eh.. I can't Gil, sorry.. I can't do Phys. Ed. For a while, I have something wrong with my eh.. leg.."

"Aww~ You can still watch my awesomeness though!"

"Okay..."

"Dude, I'm fine!" Alfred exclaimed to Arthur, who was still jabbing at his cheek.

"It was Ivan! You're hardly going to be 'fine', idiot!"

"Jeez Artie, I've had worse! It was just a tap!"

"Sorry for caring!"

"Why do you even bother!?"

"You two should stop arguing..."

"I bother because you're my friend!"

"Maybe I don't want you to be my stupid friend!"

"Guys..."

"Well maybe I don't want you to be my friend either!"

"C-Calm down..?"

"Good!"

"I never want to see you again, wanker!"

And with that, the Brit stormed off.


End file.
